The truck in this crash appeared to belong to ENRIQUE. No mention in article. Where is Enrique? What happened to him?

February 4, 2011
By Susan Redden
news@joplinglobe.com The Joplin Globe Fri Feb 04, 2011, 08:00 PM CST

CARTHAGE, Mo. — Funeral arrangements are being planned for three Carthage residents killed when their pickup truck in Thursday morning darkness launched off of a snow-covered Interstate 44 bridge near Miami, Okla.

Eight passengers were in the vehicle when it went out of control, hit a concrete wall and then skidded up a plowed snowbank and over a guardrail. The vehicle dropped 61 feet, landing upright in icy, shallow water of Spring River.

All the victims worked at a mushroom farm near Miami. They had nearly completed their 40-mile commute when the accident occurred at 6:24 a.m. Thursday.

Three died and five others were hospitalized with hypothermia and other injuries after their Chevrolet Avalanche sailed off the bridge.

The driver, Leonor Alcano, 31, and front-seat passenger Irma Garcia, 37, died of hypothermia after being pinned in the truck.

Six of the passengers climbed onto the top of the vehicle. Douglas Monzon, 22, died later at Freeman Hospital West in Joplin after he fell into the river while reaching for a rope dangled by would-be rescuers and was unable to climb back onto the truck.

CONDITION REPORTS

Julio Garcia, 21, and Samuel Hernandez, 22, both were taken to Freeman. Garcia’s condition was listed as fair on Friday, but officials were not allowed to release information on Hernandez, said Christen Stark, hospital spokeswoman.

Passengers taken to St. John’s Regional Medical Center were Francisco Consagua, 21, Mario Romero, 30, and Eli Filberto, 19. Conditions of all three had been upgraded somewhat on Friday, according to hospital spokesmen. Consagua was listed in good condition, Romero, serious condition; and Filberto, fair condition.

Funeral arrangements for Monzon are pending with Knell Mortuary, of Carthage, but planning thus far also is the victim of the snowstorm.

“We’re waiting for family to arrive, but they’re having a hard time getting in, because of the storm,â€